Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Is Not a Virulence Determinant in Murine Models of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Disease

Increases in the incidence and severity of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CAMRSA) infections have spawned efforts to define unique virulence properties among prevalent strains. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), a pore-forming cytotoxin, has garnered attention because of its epidemiologic association with CA-MRSA. Using both the clinical isolate LAC, which is representative of the epidemic USA300 strain, and its isogenic PVLnegative strain in murine models of staphylococcal skin infection and pneumonia, we expanded upon recent studies by assessing the contribution ofPVLin the genetic background of BALB/c mice. The data presented in this report support the observation that PVL does not contribute to the pathogenesis of staphylococcal infection of mice.